Redemption
by Sociially-Diisoriiented
Summary: Kakashi was a high school delinquent in love with his classmate Iruka; the straight-laced VP of the student council. Five years later, Kakashi is back at Konoha High, but this time he’s there to show Iruka a lot has chanced since their high school years


**A/N: **This is one of my entries for a contest on aarinfantasy(dot)com.

**Disclaimers: **The characters in body belong to that Masashi Kishimoto guy who created them, but I know that their souls belong to me ;)  
[Seriously, though, if they belonged to me ... the show would be rated 18+/R/NC-17, whatever you want to class it as ... it the end it would just be PRONIFIED TO THE MAX!]

* * *

_**A puff**__ of smoke billowed out from the puckered mouth of HATAKE Kakashi, the delinquent extraordinaire of Konoha High. He was sitting on the rooftop, leaning against the railing, staring down at the empty court bellow him; a court empty because all of those of usually occupied it were in their respective classes, somewhere he was supposed to be at that very moment. But he wasn't, because HATAKE Kakashi was skipping fourth period in favour of a good cigarette. _

_Feeling on__ top of the world, Kakashi closed his eyes; the breeze that ruffled his hair (which did _not_ need a good ruffling, but a good combing) made him wish he was out in the ocean, and the breeze was that salty wind… god, he could almost taste it. And then, his imagination took things a step further: his future boyfriend, pulled close against his chest._

_The scene was more than serene, it was absolutely corny. Icha-Icha Paradise was starting to become a bad influence, if he even thought about the scenarios at school._

_The door behind him, the sole entrance __leading out to the roof and back in to the school, opened and clanged shut. He didn't bother turning around, assuming it just another student skipping, until the person spoke._

"_I thought I'd find you here!"_

_The silver-haired man's heart leapt, though he took a long drag of his cancer stick, to calm himself, before turning around. He leaned against the railing; cool as a cucumber._

"_You came looking for me? I'm so honoured!"_

_His brown-haired fantasy wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Hardly. You were absent for roll call and I thought you might be here."_

"_So you came all this way because you missed my presence in class!"_

"_The teacher sent me because I'm vice-president of the student council; you're really missing too many classes, Kakashi."_

"_How about this," the seventeen-year old delinquent grinned slyly, "If you agree to be my boyfriend, I won't miss a day of school!"_

_Iruka, used now to Kakashi's petty bribery, rolled his eyes. "If you're as good a lover as you are a student, I don't think I'd care much to go out with you."_

_And with those words, the teenager turned around, making his way back to the door. Hurriedly, Kakashi took one last drag of his cigarette and flicked it over the railing before hurrying after him. "But, Iruka, if you don't care _'much'_, that means there's still open, right? Right?" he added pleadingly as the other kept on marching and refused to answer. In the end, Kakashi followed him right back the classroom, all the while pleading for an answer, and receiving so much as a chance for one date._

* * *

**Though he'd** read his name on the list of new teachers, Iruka hadn't believed it. It could have been a typo, or someone else named HATAKE Kakashi – though even he'd started doubting himself when he got to _that_ argument. Nevertheless, it'd been a shock. The last he'd seen of Kakashi had been at the graduating ceremony of their last year of high school. Though he knew Kakashi was a genius, able to memorize entire pages after having only read them over once, he'd been surprised that the teachers had let him slip by with so many absences. If it had been up to him, he would have made the boy repeat the school years until he learned some discipline! However, it had not been up to him and the administration had seemed only too happy for a reason to let the boy graduate and see him leave.

And now, Kakashi was back – or so it appeared. What had persuaded the grown man to choose _education_ as his choice for career? Iruka did not know. The only plausible explanation seemed to be amnesia.

"Oh gosh, it's really you!" Iruka stood in the doorway of Kakashi's new room. 'Room G102' was engraved in the door with a name plate: the silver words, 'HATAKE Kakashi', flashed back at him. He couldn't believe it. Kakashi was truly a teacher. Here, at Konoha High. The very same building Kakashi had avoided like the plague as a teenager. Iruka almost pinched himself to make sure it wasn't a dream – or a nightmare – but restrained himself as Kakashi had turned around and was looking straight at him.

It was truly the Kakashi he'd known. He had gotten taller, his form had filled out, of course, as had Iruka: he was no longer the lanky teenager as Kakashi was no longer the awkwardly scrawny rebel trying to act tough. No, now - Iruka glanced the older man over discreetly - now Kakashi could safely act tough and be taken seriously. Very seriously.

His hair was as messy as ever, as Iruka remembered it, but he was dressed professionally, in ironed clothes and he was even on time! What truly vanished Iruka's doubts that the man before him was _really_ the Kakashi he'd known back in school, was the thin scar that ran down the centre of his left eyes.

Kakashi grinned. "Iruka!" instantly, the man put down the folder he'd been holding and strolled over to his former classmate. Iruka died a little inside to see that Kakashi had surpassed him in height. "How nice of you to stop by my classroom, it's great to see you again," where had the childish whine gone? Though the voice seemed genuine and warm, Iruka couldn't shake that it sounded off. Still, shouldn't he be happy? That begging plea had grated his nerves! Hadn't it…?

"Kakashi," he smiled, "How … _un_expected to see you here."

"Isn't it? I'd be more than happy to tell you all about it over a drink, say, tonight?"

Iruka didn't know whether to laugh or scowl. "You haven't changed a bit."

"If that's a no, you haven't either," the grown man sighed. "How about lunch then?"

Determined to stay professional, Iruka gave a small shrug. "I take my lunch with the other teachers in the staff room. You're free to join us, if you wish."

Kakashi seemed to bite back words and then nodded. "I'll see you at lunch then. Save me a seat?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Iruka left to prepare his own classroom for his students who would be trooping in, in a little less than an hour.

* * *

_**The incident **__attracted a lot of attention. Despite – or maybe in spite of - his lack of attendance at school, Kakashi was popular. Girls swooned when he entered a room and guys were too impressed by his suave attitude to hate him too much for it. But all their attention meant nothing to him. There was only one person's attention he craved, and maybe his poor behaviour was a bit due to the fact that said person only paid much attention to him when he misbehaved._

_Therefore, when Kakashi showed up to school one Monday morning with his new scar, he was pleased when everyone started talking about it. He patiently answered the questions of his friends, of his acquaintances and even of people he did not even know; waiting only for that one person to catch wind of the news and to come and interrogate him. And if there was one thing Iruka was good at, it was interrogating Kakashi._

_Iruka "found" him between third and fourth period, though Kakashi had only taken the long way (the wrong way) to his classroom in hopes of "bumping" into him._

"_Oh gosh!" Iruka exclaimed the second he saw Kakashi's eye. Without thinking he reached over and grabbed Kakashi's chin, tilting it for a better view of the still puffy scar. Kakashi's heart sped up and he wasn't so sure he was as successful keeping the goofy grin off his face as he thought he was. "What happened?! I've been hearing so many crazed stories all day long; like how you…" the boy's voice trailed off when he realized his proximity with Kakashi and, more importantly, his familiarity. Instantly, he let go of Kakashi's chin. "Sorry."_

"_No, it's okay. I don't mind…at all," oh, how he wished he could reach out and stroke Iruka's cheek, or just hold his hand. But by the pink hue in Iruka's cheeks, and the way he refused to look at him, Kakashi knew that if he tried anything of the sort the other would never talk to him again. "The truth is, I took things too far this weekend. One of the guys had a _knife_, and it nearly took my eye out! Good thing I have fast reflexes."_

_Of course, that wasn't the truth, and the way Iruka was starting at him, Kakashi could clearly tell that he didn't believe it either. But, at least it had the other boy looking at him again. Kakashi had been spreading stories of the sort throughout the whole school, in one version it had been one gangster against him, in another, the gang had up to five people. The other students had thrived on his fantasies, it cheered up their dull and routine lives. How boring it would have been for them if Kakashi had told them the truth: one pissed off cat with sharp claws._

_Iruka was different. Iruka wouldn't have thought less of him if he had told him the true version. In fact, he would have thought _more_ of him. But, even for him, Kakashi would only go so far._

"_You're so full of it." Strong words for one usually so composed and proper._

_Kakashi grinned. "You don't__ know half of it! But, of course I'd be willing to share over dinner."_

_Iruka actually snorted. "You never make it to lunch; don't get your hopes up about dinner."_

_That day, though Kakashi made it to every single class without failure, Iruka still refused to go to dinner with him_

* * *

"**He's **_**always**_ late!" one girl piped up, and the rest of the class jumped in, shouting their opinions, some just laughing loudly.

"Yeah, and he comes up with the stupidest reasons for it!"

"He was helping an _old lady_ across the street-"

"He had a meeting with _fate_-"

"He got lost on the road of life-"

The class roared with laughter and they all started talking simultaneously. Iruka rubbed his forehead. It had been two weeks since school had started. Iruka's first impression of the 'new' Kakashi couldn't have been more wrong.

"Quiet!" he tried yelling over the ruckus of his students. Thankfully, one by one they started calming down. "_Thank_ you."

"If it was _us_," another student piped up stubbornly, "we wouldn't have been able to get away with such _retarded_ excuses!"

* * * *

If there was one thing Kakashi wasn't late for, however, it was lunchtime. Every lunch hour, without fail, he was in the room before Iruka, sitting at the table, his bag on the chair reserved for Iruka.

The brown-haired man almost smiled at the childish thoughtfulness of the gesture. When he approached, Kakashi lit up, removed the bag and opened his lunch which had been sitting on the table, waiting for Iruka to be opened.

"The students complained about you again. Don't you think you could try a little harder to arrive on time?"

"Would it earn me a date?"

It hadn't taken three days before Kakashi had reverted to his old self, pettily attempting to bribe Iruka whenever he made a proposition to improve his teaching skills, or simply his professionalism.

Iruka chewed thoughtfully, though he wasn't considering actually accepting the offer. "What is it about me that you even like? If you think about it, you barely know anything about me! Or I about you."

"I like your consistency," was Kakashi's instant reply.

"So if I accepted your offer, my consistency would be shattered and you would loose all interest?"

Immediately, the former rebel backpedaled. "Okay, bad choice of words. It's more that I like that you know your own mind. That doesn't mean I'll run away when you change your mind and accept me: but when you do, I know that you'll love me as ardently as you rejected me in the past."

* * *

_**Kakashi and **__Iruka had known each other since primary school. They'd never been good friends, but they had played together in the playground and recess and lunch. Kakashi had admired Iruka. Somehow everything the other boy did – whether it was playing grounders or making a collage during art time – had seemed so graceful, so perfect. The feeling had lasted all through middle school, though at one point the admiration had transformed into attraction, and then a crush, and then in high school came the acceptance that he was in love, completely and utterly, with his perfect classmate._

"_Iruka, can you help me study for my math?"_

_Iruka was no fool. He knew of Kakashi's extraordinaire memory. He knew Kakashi was passing the class with a mark more than adequate for someone who showed up as little as he did. And so, why had he agreed? It wasn't to not tarnish his record of never refusing someone who needed help, because frankly Kakashi didn't count as one of those people._

_Kakashi lived in a studio. A small two room apartment. He had a bathroom and a living room which was also both his kitchen and bedroom. The couch folded out to form a bed. There was a small coffee table which Iruka assumed also served as the dining table._

"_Why don't you live with your parents?"_

"_They're dead."_

_Shocked at the tactless reveal of information, Iruka stared at Kakashi, not knowing what to say. The idea Kakashi might have invented that to get a reaction out of him crossed his mind, but no … not even Kakashi could be that senseless._

"_It's okay, I didn't tell you for sympathy or to shock you," Kakashi hurried on at seeing Iruka's tortured expression. "I don't even remember them and my foster parents are really great, but I just feel better living on my own."_

_Slowly, Iruka nodded. _

"_And…" Kakashi glanced almost shyly at his crush, "I know you lost your parents when you were younger…we're kind of in the same boat."_

"_Yeah," Iruka managed huskily, and Kakashi hurried off to his kitchenette and produced two sodas, and without a further word the two settled down to work._

_Kakashi understood every word Iruka explained; though he'd been absent for the lesson, he'd read the notes of another classmate. Still, he listened attentively and asked enough questions to keep Iruka from getting up and leaving for having wasted his time._

_The time flew by, unfortunately, and before Kakashi knew it, Iruka was closing his books, saying "I should go. I want to catch a bus before it gets dark."_

_Without thinking, Kakashi covered Iruka's hand with his. "You can spend the night here. I swear I won't try and molest you or anything!" he hurried to add as Iruka's mouth opened._

_Strangely, Iruka's hand didn't withdraw. Strangely, he didn't reply right away, almost as though he was actually contemplating the idea._

_Kakashi's heart was about to leap out of his chest. He knew he was on the balance between blissful happiness and indefinite depression. Scared to press on and go too far, but scared to miss the opportunity to push the right amount to get Iruka to give in, for once, Kakashi urged quietly. "I'd treat you right."_

_Finally, Iruka looked at him. And Kakashi's heart broke. "I believe you would. But, I can't. I'm focused on my studies. You're not. I can't afford any … distracting temptations."_

_Slowly, Kakashi nodded. He let his hand slide off Iruka's; he couldn't look at him. Though he'd been rejected countless times before, he had never felt this devastated. His previous rejections had always seemed like jests, maybe due to his light proposals, or because Iruka had never seemed to take him seriously. This one hadn't been the case. He'd _truly_ asked and he'd been _truly _rejected. He didn't look up as Iruka packed his things and left; he didn't want him to see his tears._

* * *

**Kakashi still **smoked. Iruka wasn't disgusted by the habit – after all, who didn't have a vice or two – but it just proved to him how truly Kakashi had not changed over the years: the late arrivals to class, the messy hair, those _books_ (Icha-Icha Paradise, as though Iruka could ever forget such a ridiculous title) he still read, and the smoking. Of course, in many ways he had also matured, he never missed a day of school, he dressed sharply, and … Iruka drew a blank there. But, wasn't it enough? It was more than he'd ever expected from the slightly older man.

Iruka taped his fork against his Tupperware, which contained his cooling pasta. It was Wednesday afternoon and for the first time since the beginning of the year – six months now, boy did time fly – he was eating alone. Kakashi was absent. He'd called in, but he hadn't provided a reason. Iruka would have been worried if he wasn't obsessing about why, since the beginning of the year, he hadn't been able to get the silver-haired man out of his mind.

Of course, he knew the answer, but it was such a ridiculous one that it couldn't be true! After all, he couldn't really _like_ that perverted, eccentric teacher, could he?

He sighed, attracting the curious eye of the other teachers in the room and finally attacked his lunch.

Yes, yes he could, because he did.

* * * *

Five hours later, Iruka found himself standing outside Kakashi's door. He'd never been there before, but the older man had told him the address so many times it had become engraved in his memory.

("Stop by _anytime_! Even if it's the middle of night and you need a warm bed…especially that!")

It took ten minutes for Iruka to gather up his courage and knock. For a few seconds there was no sound from within; then there was the scratching of a chair against the ground and bare feet slapping the ground. The door swung open.

"Iruka?!" dressed in navy blue sweat pants and a baggy dark green shirt, Kakashi seemed genuinely shocked to see him – though not entirely unhappy, Iruka noted. "What brings you around?"

"You weren't at school today," Iruka pointed out matter-of-factly, observing Kakashi. He didn't look sick – besides, the previous month he'd showed up to school with a full blown fever and only returned home to rest after Iruka threatened to never eat with him again at lunch if didn't – but he had dark bags under his eyes.

Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, "I know, but it's a long story. There's been some family problems…" the man seemed to hesitate, unsure of what to say next.

Iruka waited half a heart beat, and then gave a slow nod. "Okay...Can I come in? You can tell me about it over dinner?"

* * *

"_**Iruka!" **__dressed in a flowing blue gown, Iruka spun around to face Kakashi who was dressed identically, though his matching blue hat was still on his head while Iruka held his._

"_Kakashi," Iruka grinned amusedly, "Congratulations," even _he_ couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice._

_Holding his diploma at his side, Kakashi stood before Iruka, straight and determined. Ever since the incident at Kakashi's house less than two months ago, things hadn't been the same. Iruka had been too wrapped in his studying to seek out Kakashi to scold him for not attending class, and Kakashi had kept his distance from the school altogether._

"_You too. I bet you got the highest marks in the exams!"_

_Modestly, Iruka shrugged. "That's not what I'm after. I'm only after a score high enough to enter the university I want to."_

"_Still aiming to become a teacher?"_

_Iruka nodded, then felt compelled to ask, "What about you?"_

"_You'll see," was Kakashi's mysterious reply. "But, in a few years, I'll become a man you won't be able to refuse!"_

_

* * *

_**A/N: **Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed the story! Please review - reading them makes me all warm gooey inside =D


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